The present invention relates to an adjustable body sub-frame assembly and an adjustable body panel assembly for a truck chassis, such as a wrecker or the like.
Truck chassis with custom body assemblies are well known in certain industries (i.e. the wrecker and car carrier industries). A body assembly typically comprises a left body panel and a right body panel, and typically includes storage compartments for tools and supplies. The body assembly makes up the structural truck body that covers the chassis and drive train. An example of a truck chassis with an attached body assembly that is typical of the prior art is U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,773 to Kalis, Jr. et al. (Kalis). Kalis shows a body assembly that is formed from metal panels that are welded together and then bolted to the truck chassis.
Truck chassis are available in various different standard sizes (width and length) depending on the country of origin. For example, the United States truck manufacturers generally produce two standard truck chassis widths suitable for a wrecker, 34" and 37.5", and the Japanese and European manufacturers produce different standard chassis sizes. The body assembly width that a given chassis can accommodate is governed by the chassis width, in combination with the cab width and width between the outermost rear wheels (i.e. depending on the size of the rear wheels, and whether the chassis includes two or four rear wheels). Each different chassis width, therefore, accommodates a different range of body assembly widths. Further, to mount a desired body on a given chassis, the body must include a frame with a width that matches the width of the chassis. Chassis lengths also vary, which in turn governs the length of a body assembly that can be accommodated by a given chassis. Therefore, each body assembly must be produced with specific dimensions depending on the particular chassis for which the body assembly is designated.
Accordingly, manufacturers must produce different body assemblies for the various different chassis sizes. Factories must then either expand manufacturing capabilities to facilitate simultaneous production of the different body assemblies, or re-tool their manufacturing lines to switch between body assembly sizes. Factories must also increase their parts inventories to accommodate the different body assembly sizes, and distributors, to the extent that they stock body assemblies, must increase their inventories. The prior art, therefore, presents several drawbacks, including increased manufacturing tooling costs, increased factory and distributor inventory requirements, and increased manufacturing lead times.
The present invention overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art by providing an adjustable body sub-frame assembly for mounting on a truck chassis, and an adjustable body panel assembly for mounting on the body sub-frame assembly. One universal, adjustable body sub-frame assembly and one universal, adjustable body panel assembly of the present invention fit virtually any truck chassis. The present invention thereby reduces the manufacturing capability and inventory requirements associated with multiple body sub-frame and body panel assembly sizes.